Since about forty years ago, automatic and semi-automatic controlled irrigation systems use direct burial station wires and a common wire with permanent splices to connect irrigation or sprinkler valves to the master control. Each valve, which has an electrically actuated solenoid, is permanently connected to the buried field wires. Each valve has two wires connected to it, a station wire connected directly to the master control and one or more common wire that are connected in parallel to all other valves before connecting to the master control. The need to place such an irrigation electrical system underground requires the electrical connection to be securely sealed against moisture and fluid. Such buried wires and connections create problems whenever checking or repairs are required.
A number of prior art waterproof electrical splices have been used in the irrigation industry. Many of these prior art splices utilize water proof materials, such as grease or epoxy, to seal the ends of the electrical connections. Such materials are generally very messy to handle. Another type of prior art splice utilizes heat-shrink material and plastic sleeves pre-filled with a sealant to encapsulate the connection. Such prior art splices are also inefficient because testing of a prior art irrigation system generally requires the nicking or cutting of the conductor, often in a trench or hole, in order to access the wire with a volt ohm meter or other diagnostic tool test leads. The removal of the waterproofing material prevents reusing the connection after a test or repair. Thus, a new connector that is waterproof is required.
When a stoppage or malfunction occurs in the irrigation electrical system, it normally requires disconnecting that portion of the system containing the malfunctioning component. Oftentimes, the valve is in an opening, box or trench, which contains water from the system, making working on the valve difficult.
Therefore, there is a need for an irrigation electrical control system using remote control valve connectors that facilitate and simplify the connections and testing of electrical components in an irrigation system.